The Importance of User Groups

Just wanted to say a few things about why I harp on getting people to attend the user groups. Microsoft leads in the enterprise primarily because there are many more trained and qualified technicians with lots of reachback into blogs and documentation who work on the Microsoft stack than there are with niche Linux distributions. It helps Microsoft’s business to push Channel 9 and other things because this free training helps to evangelize those who use it to recommend additional Microsoft products and the ones in which they already specialize.

For the same reason, not only is it in Microsoft’s interest for you to have your user group to share knowledge, but it helps you as well. As SharePoint becomes more in demand because you and the others who attend push for its use in the enterprise, you become more valuable as one of the few who have the knowledge and experience that you have built yourself but the knowledge others have shared with you. It makes you stand out from those who have not been learning from and sharing with their peers. The user groups you attend become hubs of knowledge that help you gain knowledge, but when you get ready to share, you also tend to learn more about the subject so that you can be the authoritative source when you present to your peers. It makes us all better.

Hoarding knowledge does not improve job security, but a great many people tend to think it will. The truth is that you will be known as a thought leader in the material the more you share. That makes you stand out as the subject matter expert you become when you are active in your user groups.

I stress to you that, even if the topic of the night falls outside of your role when it comes to SharePoint, you should attend all of the meetings you can. It strengthens the group because a group really is more than the sum of its members. It helps you network. You might not be actively be seeking new work, but opportunities pop up in odd places. You will learn that someone new to the group is having an issue that you or your company is uniquely suited to tackle, and you can help grow your company and become more valuable within it.

While this post has focused on SharePoint user groups, it applies to all user groups, communities of interest/practice, and professional associations. A lot of SharePoint Saturday conferences have lost a lot in the way of sponsorship dollars over the years, and these events are where some of the best in the industry get together to share their knowledge with you for FREE. Speaking obviously helps their resume and helps to get their company’s name out there, but you should rarely avoid free knowledge. You might think you know it all, but that speaker might share one little tidbit that will change how you do everything and could make you so much better at your role. Go to your groups. Evangelize SharePoint or whatever product/platform/practice you use. Stand out among your peers.